This invention relates generally to a wind energy turbine having at least one unit or component to be cooled, and, in particular, to cooling at least one component or unit of a wind energy turbine using a cooling fluid.
A wind energy turbine comprises several mechanical and electrical components which generate heat energy losses during their operation. These components or units include, for example, a gear box (if provided) and a generator. Both of these are typically arranged in the nacelle rotatably supported by a tower. The components also include a converter and a transformer, both of which are typically located within the tower and are utilized to feed electrical energy converted from the mechanical energy of the rotor via the generator into the grid. In addition, the components include controllers for controlling operation of the wind energy turbine. The controllers are typically arranged within the tower. Due to the increased performance of modern wind energy turbines, effective cooling of the above-mentioned components is increasingly difficult.
Typically, the units and components of a wind energy turbine to be cooled are arranged within an cooling air stream generated by fans. However, in particular with respect to the units to be cooled and arranged in the tower of a wind energy turbine, it is difficult to feed enough air into the tower for sufficiently cooling the components.
As shown in WO-A-01/006121 a wind energy turbine is known having an air cooling circuit for cooling heat-energy-generating units of the turbine. The cooling air circuit uses the wall of the tower as the heat exchanger and cooling surface for cooling the air.